A victory against carnage on the roads: A new insurance industry survey cites systems like ABS brakes, lane keeping and adaptive cruise control for protecting Americans from fatalities, and it also names some winners and losers.

Don't make assumptions: Sometimes it's U.S.-built cars from Japanese companies that have the most domestic content. And U.S. content means direct U.S. jobs--at least 1.5 million of them--from a resurgent auto industry.

For heaven's sake, "hybrid" is not a magic word. Automakers embrace the environment and sustainability, but don't believe all the hype they dish out. Check the claims, the fuel-economy numbers and the bottom line carefully.

On Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula, you're bouncing in the ruts as you dodge dogs, iguanas, suicidal birds, ATVs and dust clouds. Relief arrives in the form of the sticky molasses that gets sprayed on the roads.